Make Me Something Sundays: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I found this recipe on another blog (the name escapes me), which was adapted from a recipe they found on Smitten Kitchen by a David Leite.  The recipe yields about 18 regularly sized cupcakes.  Don't be mistaken by the picture as I was... I used both small cupcake molds and large ones and they all came out delicious!  I did take my own pictures but I can't seem to find them... The picture below is from the site I found the recipe on.

Ingredients:

·       1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.

·       1 c. firmly packed dark-brown sugar

·       
1/3 cup granulated sugar

·       
2 cups cake flour

·       
2 teaspoons baking powder

·       
1 teaspoon baking soda

·       
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


·       1 teaspoon ground ginger


·       1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·       
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves


·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper


·       2 large eggs


·       1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla


·       1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

Frosting


·       Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened


·       1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature


·       2 cups confectioners’ sugar


·       1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 18 liners.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.

3. Add the eggs 1 at a time to the mixer, scraping down the sides after each addition. Alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat in the pumpkin until smooth. Scoop the batter among the cupcake liners — you’re looking to get them 3/4 full. Rap the filled pans once on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on racks completely.

Make the frosting:
In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy.

Now, the recipe doesn't tell you what to sprinkle on top, if anything.  However, I mixed up a combination of white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.  It came out great, and I received many compliments on that extra crunch!